


Giving Thanks

by Rroselavy



Category: Yugioh
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-06
Updated: 2010-06-06
Packaged: 2017-10-09 23:17:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/92676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rroselavy/pseuds/Rroselavy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jounouchi Katsuya reflects on all he has to be thankful for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Giving Thanks

**Author's Note:**

  * For [akuchan_47](https://archiveofourown.org/users/akuchan_47/gifts).



The cold November wind cut through the thin denim jacket that Jounouchi Katsuya wore. He wrapped his arms around his body and huddled over on the park bench where he sat overlooking ice skaters frolicking on the frozen pond in Domino City's Central Park. He wrapped his scarf tighter around his neck, and pulled his woolen watchcap lower on his head. He was shivering and knew that he would not be able to stay very much longer before the cold drove him back indoors.

Today was the day Americans celebrated Thanksgiving. When he was a child his mother, an American by birth, would serve up fabulous feasts on this day, often after literally spending days traveling far and wide in her shopping excursions to pick up American gourmet items-turkey, cranberries, brussels sprouts, rutabaga, apples and pumpkins. Jounouchi and Shizuka would take turns in the kitchen, helping her prepare the stuffing, cranberry sauce and apple and pumpkin pies.

Jounouchi loved celebrating the uniquely American holiday, and though he'd never set foot in America, he dreamed of what it had been like for the pilgrims that first Thanksgiving--their survival ensured by the aid of the Native Americans. He tried not to think of the ultimate fallout of that interaction, but rather of the spirit of the holiday-removed from religious and cultural overtones-of being thankful for what one has.

Despite the hard life Jounouchi had lived, he believed he had a lot to be thankful for. He had his sister, for whom he'd been able to give the gift of restoring her vision, and he had his best friend Yugi, whose selfless love had turned him from the path of certain destruction as a member of Hirutani's infamous gang. Then there was Honda Hiroto, his oldest friend, who always had his back, who he could depend on for anything. Today, his father had marked his seventy-second day clean and sober-a modest, yet important milestone, and recently his mother had been inviting him to breakfasts before school, trying to make up for the lost time when she'd deliberately estranged herself from his life. She was genuinely repentant for her behavior, and they had come to a truce as they slowly worked through the pain she'd caused in his life.

In the past year, he'd managed to become a straight A student, and if he finished his senior year with an A average, he was certain he would secure a scholarship to university, where he planned on majoring in Photography. Last year after taking it as an elective art class, he'd stumbled upon an ancient 35mm camera in a second-hand shop, and found that he had a particularly keen eye. Some of the candid shots he'd taken for the class assignments of Domino City street scenes and portraits of friends and strangers had been included in a group show at the Domino Museum of Modern Art. Recently a gallery owner had approached him to mount a solo show and had been pleased at the contacts Jounouchi had dropped off earlier in the week.

He was too cold at this point to take any more pictures, but for some reason, he couldn't pull himself away from the composition in front of him. The lighting was spectacular-the sun had just set, and the sky was illuminated in oranges, blues and purple, while the snow glowed a fluorescent blue in the fading daylight. The mood was completed by the shouts of children and parents sledding down the distant hills and the jingle-jangle of sleighbells attached to the horse-and-buggies that were available for hire to tour the immense park. He closed his eyes and smiled contentedly. Despite the cold, he was incredibly happy. He listened to the ambient noises-the crunch of snow underfoot as couples walked arm-and-arm along the paths, the soft whinny of a horse waiting patiently to be called to duty.

All at once, he felt his shoulders draped in warmth. He tipped his head back and opened his eyes to deep azure pools of blue of his boyfriend, Kaiba Seto, reminding himself of what he was most thankful for this year, being in love, and being loved back with equal abandon.

"I thought you'd forgotten." He said, his eyes wide with surprise.

Kaiba quirked an elegant eyebrow quizzically. "Forget about today, after you been whining about it for the past three weeks? I shudder to think of the repercussions." He kissed Jounouchi chastely on his lips. "You're freezing though, come with me and I promise I'll warm you up." He smiled and extended his hand, pulling Jounouchi to his feet when he accepted his offer.

They traveled in silence, Jounouchi resting his head on Kaiba's shoulder as the limo whisked them through the bustling city streets. Clouds had moved in, and a light snow was falling by the time they'd reached the Kaiba estate.

The house was warmly lit, Jounouchi noted, as the driver pulled up to the front door. Kaiba guided him up the steps, hand lightly falling on the small of his back. The door was flung open suddenly as they reached it, revealing an overexcited Mokuba.

"Where have you been, Seto!?! We almost started without you! Everybody's starving!" He stepped aside, letting the older boys past him. At once Jounouchi's nose was assaulted with the unmistakable aromas of roast turkey and apple pie, and his ears with the din of happy chatter. Kaiba took his hand and lead him into the cavernous living room where Jounouchi could see all his friends and family had been gathered.

He turned questioningly to his still silent boyfriend, and Kaiba wrapped his arms around him and pulled him into an embrace. "Happy Thanksgiving, Katsuya. Thank you for reminding me of all that I have to be thankful for." He whispered.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Seto. Thank you so much-thank you for everything." Jounouchi murmured, tears of joy threatening to fall. He was overwhelmed by Kaiba's thoughtfulness-for bringing together his friends and family and planning a traditional Thanksgiving dinner-and he was truly thankful once again to be surrounded by everyone he loved.


End file.
